Monthly Archives: August 2016

Electrician on the Rock

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Weather

We had for a few days the last perfect Summer days: no wind ,mirror sea and heat…

Ecological

For the first time we saw 2 orcas in the passage . It was like a dream and ironically all the watching boats were outside and we were the only ones to enjoy.DSC_0502DSC_0500We did!

Hungry not anymore baby gulls! No Elephant seals .

Other

The number of watching boats this sunny days is insane !So many and all at the same time .too closed ,too fast and too noisy (engines). too often disturbing! An helicopter was above very noisy too and the birds were afraid.We had a plane above.DSC_0553DSC_0549

A visitor : an electrician 

He came to double check the electrical system on the rock. Even if the old system is running pretty well a brand new generator would be  a good solution for more efficiency.We learn a few things : The generator should work around 12 hours in a raw every 10 days even in Summer time. We would need a high voltage for 12 hours to activate correctly the mixture . The sulfuric acid  stays down and the water up and that means corrosion …If high voltage were sent for 12 hours or even more the batteries could be charged at 80 %. Right now they are charged at the best to 40-50%.The solar panels are not enough efficient because of the big and numerous batteries. Even the shadow of a pipe on the panel have an incidence on the production. The second generator is not working right now . We will make it work next week with new filters.this one produce 25AMPS instead of just 15AMPS for the first one in use presently.

 

Busy eco guardian : Alumni reunnion

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Weather

We had a pretty calm weather those last days from no wind to 25 knots in the evening at the most. Some fog like on Wednesday morning the 10th but mainly sunny most of the time and calm with a pretty good visibility.

Ecological

We had the pleasure to welcome another female Elephant seal on Tuesday but only for a short time and pretty soon they were all gone. 4 guess made a come back ;otherwise the island is getting noisier and smell bad! The Sea lions mainly californian but some Steeler too, are coming closer and closer but not as numerous as they were last year. Some eagles around once in awhile.The gull chicks get big now,they are trying to fly but not ready yet.

Boats 

Watching boats and some diving boats (2 the same day) and closed to the rocks . Planes over on the weekend.We also have 4 times a day since Saturday loaded with alumni from the college . They came around the Rocks but not ashore.

Maintenance

Guy chopped more wood for winter.He got all the electrical fence posts ready around the student’s house and he went to the college to help for the sailing activity.On the 10th he prepared the batteries and made sure that they were full of water . it took  2 hours to fill up every of them ( total of 96  ) The generator has been working for 3 hours . Tomorrow we will have an Electrician for a general check up of the Race Rocks electrical system.

Visitor

Kyle brought some peat moss for the compost and a brand new seawater pump.

 

A visitor overnight: Raisa Mirza back to the Rock

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Weather

Windy day . At 10:00AM we already had 22 knots and a gust of wind was forecast for the afternoon.We had some fog part of the night and still some to 8:00 in the morning.At 4:30 the wind reached 35 knots

Ecological

3 or 4 big Sea lions on the rocks between the student house and the helicopters platform. Electrical lines soon

Visitor

In the morning as soon as the tide allowed it we went to the college to pick up Raisa . Raisa  is an Alumni ( year 31 or 32) and has been eco guardian at Race Rocks from September 2010 to May 2011 and her husband Ryan Murphy  was here from December 2008 to November 2011. He has been a biology teacher at the college for a few months too. Both are passionate by Race Rocks ,they are experimented divers and talented photographers. It was a very special time for Raisa to be back home  and we felt blessed to share this with her.She spent almost all her time outside taking pictures!

Census day

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Weather

The weather has been gorgeous and calm ,excellent visibility to 22km ,west wind around 15 knots.barometric pressure :101.9,sunrise at 5:52 and sunset at 20:45 ,humidity:88%

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Ecological

A beautiful and healthy female Elephant seal returned on Main Rock.First chickens swimming.More Sea lions everyday around. 2 more dead birds (one by a river otter and one resulting from a territorial fight).DSC_0050 eggs are hatched : the 2 youngest I think.

Maintenance 

Student house cleaning and other daily chores

Visitor

Kyle came and bring some needed stuff.

Other

Plane above

Census

Harbour seals :around 200

Gulls :between 535 and 550

Eagle:1

turnstones:130 to 150DSC_0755

Harlequin Duck:1 female

River otters:1

Oystercatchers: 4 couples seen

Pigeon-Guillemots:around 60

Seashore Sea lions :131 (on Middle and South) DSC_0392DSC_0587DSC_0017

Elephant Seals:1

 

Beautiful Summer days but a little bit chillier at least on the Rocks!

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Weather

On Monday at 5:00 AM 22 knots west wind getting to 25 in the afternoon and cloudy to clear later. On Tuesday same kind of weather , wind closed to 28 knots in the afternoon and very clear and hot even if the wind on the sea is chilli. Water and air same temperature of 12 degrees celsius,barometric pressure stable:101.7KPA.

Ecological

The little birds are learning how to fly but it’s just the beginning. One elephant seal ,a young one, came back on Tuesday . The sea lions are getting closer and closer on the south side of the Rock and already have  to keep the window closed because of their noisy shoutings.Kelp beds are all around and we have to be cautious with the boat.I found an egg broken still liquid and a bird smoldering and 2 very young chickens.. so the season is not over yet.

Maintenance

Guy for the last time tried to make the seawater pump working but niet it’s really dead so we brought it back to the college and we will get another new one pretty soon.He chopped more wood and will got all the wood in piles closed to the houses instead of a big one at the jetty. We had after that to hoover the water sample house because with the wind :all the wood chips went inside ! the desalinator was on part of the days. Solar panels are  efficient ( Generator once a week on)

Other

Some DND activity.

We went to the college to bring back the pump and some recycling and garbage bags and at the same time we went for an interview with Aziz for the video in a quiet environment ;too much noise all the times here. Also we had a short meeting with Kyle to double check for the  next week organisation. A lot happening around the Sea front : year 31 and 32 alumni  are coming back for 4 days.

Steady watching boats activity.

 

 

First sea lions on Main!

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Weather

The night between Sunday and Saturday was a noisy one :the horn was honking a major part of the night and even in the morning on Monday. Later in the day the wind was strong 29 knots at 16:00 and 32 around 19:00.

Ecological

The first sea lions (californians) were on their favorite spot ,the flat rocks closed to the jetty. We discovered 1 and pretty soon they were 3 and among them a huge one .We have to get ready for a very noisy environment ;even 2 of them can be very tiring ,so when you think about hundreds of them…plugs plugs ! …but we are lucky ,they are late , last year they were already here at this time  .  No more elephant seal on the rock. I miss them a lot!  For now we have  found 7 dead chicken bodies,mainly because of territorial fights.

Boats

Many watching boats and some beautiful sailboats (those ones not in the ecological reserve). Actually one came on Saturday and it was something to see it speeding with the current and without engine.

Maintenance

The fire pump died! this old timer was worn out even if it worked pretty well to now! Solar panel pretty dirty and the whole island ,alleys and rocks,roofs …everything is mainly white because of the gulls .Rain will be welcome.